11 STATES/UTS JOIN NATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW SYSTEM (NSWS) FOR VEHICLE SCRAPPING
Why in News?
- Ministry of Road Transport and Highways stated that 11 states/UTs have been onboarded onto NSWS for Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program (V-VMP) to attract private investment in vehicle scrapping ecosystem.
- 11 states/UTs include Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Goa, Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh.
- NSWS was created by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
- V-VMP or Vehicle Scrapping Policy came into effect from April 1, 2022.
- It aims to create an ecosystem for phasing out of unfit and polluting vehicles in an eco-friendly manner.
Key Highlights of V-VMP
- Provides for fitness tests after 20 years for personal vehicles, while commercial vehicles will require it after completion of 15 years.
- Setting up of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) for environment friendly scrapping of vehicles, enhance value recovery from scrapped vehicles etc.
- Encouraging public and private investment to formalize vehicle scrapping industry.
- Replacing End-of-Life Vehicles to achieve better fuel efficiency, reduce vehicular air pollutants etc.
- It does not treat a vehicle as scrap just because of its age, but considers other factors like quality of brakes, engine performance etc.
GS PAPER II NEWS
DRAFT NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY RELESED FOR STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
Why in News?
- Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has released the ‘Draft Statement on Industrial Policy 2022 Make in India for the world’ for stakeholder consultation.
- This will be the third industrial policy after first in 1956 and next in 1991.
- It will replace Industrial policy, 1991 which was prepared in backdrop of balance of payment crisis.
About Industrial policy
- Industrial policy refers to government efforts to support particular industries that are considered strategically important, such as manufacturing.
- Proposed policy aimed at addressing issues and challenges of industry through certain policy measures to foster and create an innovative and competitive industrial ecosystem in country.
OBJECTIVES
- Competitiveness and capability.
- Economic integration and moving up the global value Chain.
- Promoting India as an attractive investment destination.
- Nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Achieving global scale, and standards.
Key highlights of Policy
- Create Indian premium international brands and showcase it as an attractive investment destination through:
- Universal Enterprise ID for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to strengthen their credit rating mechanism and MSME cluster financing models.
- Startup Innovation Zones at Urban Local Bodies level etc.
- Incentivising public procurement to promote Make in India, create national digital grid, develop robust data protection regime etc.
- Strengthen export finance systems for enhancing export competitiveness.
GS PAPER II NEWS
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (MOHFW) REVIEW ELIMINATION OF KALA-AZAR
Why in News?
- Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, chairs a high-level meeting with State Governments to review elimination of Kala-Azar from the country by 2023.
- As per MoHFW, there has been a 98.7 percent decline in cases of Kala-azar from 44,533 in 2007 to 834 in 2022 in India.
About Kala-azar
Kala-azar (Black Fever Disease) is a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) caused by a protozoan parasite of genus Leishmania and spread by infected female sandfly bites.- In India, Leishmania donovani is the only parasite causing the disease.
- It is considered as the second deadliest parasitic killer in world after Malaria.
- It is endemic in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
- India contributes 11.5 percent of total cases reported globally.
- It is a treatable and curable disease. Anti-leishmanial medicines are available for treatment.
Steps taken to elimination of Kala-azar by 2023
- To combat this disease, the National Kala Azar Elimination Programme was established.
- National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) for prevention and control of Malaria, Dengue, Lymphatic Filariasis, Kala-azar, etc.
About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
- NTDs are a diverse group of 20 conditions that are mainly prevalent in tropical areas, where they mostly affect more than 1 billion people living in impoverished communities.
GS PAPER II NEWS
PUNJAB, HARYANA FAIL TO REACH ON CONSENSUS SUTLEJ-YAMUNA LINK (SYL) CANAL ISSUE
Why in News?
- SYL canal issue continues to remain unresolved as both states have failed to reach any settlement over water-sharing of Ravi and Beas rivers.
About SUTLEJ-YAMUNA LINK (SYL)
- SYL is a 214-km long canal for sharing waters of Ravi and Beas rivers between Haryana and Punjab, of which 122 km was to be in Punjab and 92 km in Haryana.
- It was planned in 1966 after Haryana was carved out of Punjab.
- Haryana completed its stretch of SYL Canal in 1980, while Punjab kept citing Riparian Principles and non-availability of its water.
- Riparian Principles states that owner of land adjacent to a water body has the right to use water.
- Punjab also argues that many areas in state may go dry after 2029 due to over-exploitation of groundwater.
- Haryana argues that its southern parts of state are facing water problem due to depleted groundwater.
- Haryana has been denied its rightful share in water as assessed by Eradi Tribunal, 1987.
Constitutional provisions relating to Water
- State list: Entry 17 (Water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage etc.).
- Union list: Entry 56 (Regulation and development of inter-State rivers and river valleys).
- Article 262: Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers.
- In exercise of power conferred by Article 262, Parliament enacted Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956.
GS PAPER III NEWS
DNA MITOCHONDRIAL PROFILING
Why in News?
- To identify the victim, Delhi Police used DNA Mitochondrial profiling.
What is DNA Mitochondrial profiling?
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) profiling is a method used by forensics scientists to examine biological items of evidence from crime scenes to determine mtDNA sequence from samples such as hair, bones, and teeth.
- Typically, these items contain low concentrations of degraded DNA, making them unsuitable for nuclear DNA examinations.
- Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is circular, double stranded, and inherited maternally.
- It is found in mitochondria-a subcellular organelle located within the cell and functions to produce energy (powerhouse of cell) for various tissues of body.
- It can be useful in missing person investigations, mass disasters etc. with limited biological material.
- Mitochondrial division is disassociated from cellular division and is stimulated by energy demand i.e. cells with greater energy requirement have greater number of these organelle.
- Also, it has high copy number as most human cells contain hundreds of mtDNA genomes copies against two copies of Nuclear DNA in nucleus.
- High copy number increases the likelihood of recovering sufficient DNA from samples even if they are highly degraded by environment or time.